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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27568315">What You Need</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritsukumas/pseuds/ritsukumas'>ritsukumas</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Unlikely (Persona 5/Persona 5 Royal) [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro Needs a Hug, Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, POV Akechi Goro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:21:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,195</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27568315</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritsukumas/pseuds/ritsukumas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Geez! You know we were all worried sick about you! First thing we hear about you is that you’ve turned yourself in to the police, then you’re not in holding, we fight in a huge palace, and then you go and disappear! We thought you were dead at that. At least before when you disappeared, we knew you were alive…”</p><p>“Can we not be in the eyes of this entire facility? I’m sure we have somewhere we can go and have plenty of the touchy-feely conversation I’m assuming you’re dying to have."</p><p>-</p><p>Alternatively, Goro Akechi learns that there's people who care about him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro &amp; Takamaki Ann</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Unlikely (Persona 5/Persona 5 Royal) [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2015083</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What You Need</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Goro Akechi had left the rehabilitation center in June. He had traveled to Tokyo and went about his business, doing what he could for an old friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t planned to return, but it felt like it was the least he could do. They had been so hospitable, not to mention, he had to find something manageable to make ends’ meet while he attended university. It wasn’t as if he had plans anywhere else anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was October now. The temperatures were crisp and the crunch of the leaves under his feet as he walked to the door was music to his ears. He had stuffed his hands in his trench coat pockets, only taking them out to brush his hair out of his face or to open the door when he reached his destination. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he got inside, he shrugged off his coat, opting to leave it on the coat rack. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of someone else’s coat hanging before his. It wasn’t as if he was special or the only person to use the coat rack, but that the jacket looked so familiar. The name was on the tip of his tongue, but he was sure he was just imagining things. There was no one that he could possibly recognise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked further in to find out what jobs he could perform but stopped dead in his tracks. That blonde hair. Of course, it wasn’t put up into pigtails and he supposed he could see a slight tan to her skin, but it was obvious to anyone how little she seemed to fit in. He took a step forward, before faltering. Would she even remember him, and if she did, would she even want to see him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole Maruki dilemma had gone and passed, and no bad blood was spilt between him and the Phantom Thieves, but that didn’t mean they were any fonder of him since then. They just tolerated </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> like he tolerated </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Why was he even wanting to reach out to her anyway? They were just acquaintances, not even that. He was about to make a quick escape before she turned around, and their eyes met. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Akechi-san?” she whispered in surprise. Her eyes had started tearing up from what Goro could see, and it made him all the more uncomfortable. Why was she about to cry from just seeing him? Was he that disgusting in her eyes? The way she was walking towards him wasn’t helping his rising anxiety either. He was bracing for impact but was shocked when she hugged him, sobbing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W- we all thought y- you were dead!” she cried out, “Y- you asshole! Y- you’re j- just like Morgana!” She weeped on him and he was too stunned to move. He was getting scolded, but not because of his previous actions involving her, but because he hadn’t written that he was alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- I’m sorry?” Ann pulled back from him, wiping her eyes as she sniffled. He didn’t have any tissues or a handkerchief with him, but she seemed to be unaffected by her tears as she continued to chide him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geez! You know we were all worried sick about you! First thing we hear about you is that you’ve turned yourself in to the police, then you’re not in holding, we fight in a huge palace, and then you go and disappear! We thought you were dead at that. At least before when you disappeared, we knew you were alive…” She looked like she was about to start obscenely crying again, and people were beginning to stare at them. The attention made Goro shift uncomfortably on his heels before offering a hand to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we not be in the eyes of this entire facility? I’m sure we have somewhere we can go and have plenty of the touchy-feely conversation I’m assuming you’re dying to have,” he huffed, glancing at the various workers beginning to peek out of their assigned rooms to hear what the commotion was about. Ann silently nodded, taking his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two began to head for the doors, but Goro made sure to let the attendant at the front know that he was taking the day off, much to his chagrin. He let go of Ann’s hand to reach for his coat, in which she followed suite, and they were both off to somewhere more private. He had offered his own apartment, but Ann waved her hand, claiming to have a surprise to show him. He was not a fan of surprises, but she had taken his hand again once they had gotten outside and her grip was too strong for him to be willing to fight back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a ways to go from the rehabilitation center, but at least he could avoid traveling through Shibuya station for the time being. He had been to the station and even town centre here and there, but never for long. He didn’t want to waste time nor be accidentally recognised. He didn’t expect to be a fan favourite after dismissing the Phantom Thieves for so long alongside other incidents. He preferred the shadows regardless, so it didn’t mind him too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann had finally let go of his hand when they stumbled across an apartment complex. It irritated him a bit to see, considering he had offered his own apartment before she had dragged him across town. Then again, they were much nicer than his own measly apartment, so maybe she saved him some embarrassment at the least. Together they climbed up the stairs to reach her floor and she beamed as she opened it, letting the door fly open on its own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to Casa d’Ann!” He was too tired to correct her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for dragging me across town just to see </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> apartment,” he muttered under his breath, but entered without much option. Leaving his shoes and coat by the door, he moved to sit on the floor on one of her rugs, waiting for Ann to follow. She didn’t take long before hopping onto the couch behind Goro, patting one of the cushions for him to sit on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to sit on the floor, you know,” she hummed, “They’re clean and even free of cat hair! You have no idea how much Morgana sheds.” The dainty little sigh wasn’t worth anything to Goro, but hearing about the cat was much more meaningful. Unless he had run off from his owner (which was, honestly, just as likely, but he would give Morgana the benefit of the doubt), that meant… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Akira had been here then…” he whispered, glancing towards Ann who nodded innocently, “I see. I hate to take up your time, but I </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>take the day off, so let’s make sure we have a productive conversation instead of mindless chatter, okay? I’m not even bothering with formalities.” The girl just sighed, shaking her head at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re really not the sociable type, are you? I was hoping to at least make </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> small talk before jumping into the whole ‘you’re not dead?! how?!’ thing,” she huffed, “It’s the least you can do after making us worry about you!” She lightly tapped her foot against Goro’s shoulder, and it took everything in his soul to not leave then and there. It had only been a few months, but there was some </span>
  <span>naïve</span>
  <span> part of him that he wished she matured even just a little more. Alas, he was thinking too highly of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-detective just pushed her foot away from him, glaring. “Then answer me this, Takamaki-san, why </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> you worrying about me? I’m sure everyone would have been just fine believing I had met an inevitable fate? It would be easier than accepting the fact that your leader ended up in juvenile hall just because I hadn’t been there to turn myself in like that Christmas night because I just </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t feel like it</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The room fell silent and Ann’s face turned blank. He couldn’t read her features for her response. It was… terrifying for Goro. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hand shot out to grab Goro’s face with one hand, glaring at him in response. “You think that we could just </span>
  <em>
    <span>accept</span>
  </em>
  <span> that?!” she yelled, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> are the reason we were worried! Akira was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad</span>
  </em>
  <span> knowing that you could have been saved if he had accepted Dr. Maruki’s deal, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> were the reason he didn’t, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> the reason that he still regrets leaving Shibuya in the case that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> alive!” She let go of his face, standing up as she continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>Akira</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Everyone was worried sick! Everyone-” Her words were beginning to blur together. Her words were bubbling under his skin, yet he got chills thinking about them. Akira… That idiot. Why did he still continue to think about him? He thought he had made his point clear. The thief had accepted the deal, so even he had to accept Goro’s death, but the fact he still mourned. It just made him feel sick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Ann huffed, placing her hands on her hips, “Are you even listening to me anymore? Earth to Goro!” He just glanced at her, shaking his head. “Argh! So you’re still not paying attention to what we have to say? Geez… did you seriously think we just… wouldn’t care about you anymore?” She plopped down onto the couch, and Goro couldn’t help but bite his bottom lip. Yes, he really had thought that to be the case. “Regardless.. you’re alive now… have you told anyone yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” It was a simple response. There was no need to tell anyone he was alive. He didn’t have family to tell and he hadn’t cared enough to respond to messages from the thieves. Especially not from Akira. He didn’t want to give him any false hope even after he had been released. It was easier that way. “I didn’t see the purpose in doing that. I know you said you all still cared, Takamaki-san, but wasn’t it easier just to believe I’m dead then go on a wild goose-chase with the even slight belief I was alive? At the least you thought you had come to an irrefutable conclusion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I mean I guess, but Akira still believed in you, and I don’t think anyone really wanted to believe that you sacrificed yourself until the very end… after everything that happened, you still had a chance at redemption, so thinking you died was just… sad, if anything.” The blonde slid off the couch and onto the floor. “And besides, by then, we weren’t friends or anything, but you had shown us your true self. I would like to think you were at least comfortable. I mean, you’re sitting on the ground in my apartment talking to me now! Before, wouldn’t you have at least come up with some excuse?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s not my fault you just threw yourself at me… not to mention you were sobbing. Anyone in that facility would have gotten the wrong idea, and I couldn’t stand for that,” Goro grumbled, though he couldn’t deny her words. He could have left and overpowered her if he really wanted to. But he didn’t, and he wasn’t. He was still here with her. He just looked down at the ground at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re more alike than you think,” Ann giggled, elbowing him gently, “I mean… we were all outcasts, right? We’re all still Phantom Thieves, even if you hadn’t done it for the right reasons. You still worked with us. Sure, it was a bit of a detour, but you ended up saving the world with us at the end of it all.” The ex-detective just let out a bitter laugh at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t call Maruki’s palace much of saving the world. I’m sure you all could have done it without me, but maybe you’re right. Maybe I was just what you needed to keep your leader in check. You sure weren’t helping his case after all.” Ann glanced away at that, nodding slowly as she rubbed her arm. Goro hadn’t said it to be rude, but he was just being honest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I apologised to Akira since then, and I’m sure everyone else did. But… just… a world where I could have been with Shiho and she would be alright… That’s why I was there. At the center,” she glanced over at Goro, “I was visiting with Shiho. She’s been doing better but I still wanted to see her physical therapy. She had to stay though, because they wanted to make sure her mental health was still okay too. She’s been doing great though.” He fell silent at that before slowly opening his mouth to respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes… I suppose that makes sense,” he noted, “That was one of the people the Phantom Thieves saved during the first job, correct? You changed the heart of Suguru Kamoshida. It was before I properly met you all, but I digress.” Ann nodded, smiling lightly as she tucked some hair behind her ear. “You could have easily killed him if you four managed to bring him down so easily… I heard from Akira that you… chose to keep him alive.” She looked away from Goro, as if she was looking much farther than just at a wall of her apartment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could have, and you have no idea how tempting it was. But… I feel like it was better to let him live and repent for what he did,” she explained, smiling, “It’s much more satisfying than letting him out the easy way. Plus, it helped avenge all of his victims… including Shiho.” Goro glanced away from Ann this time. He wasn’t sure if he had nearly the same amount of strength as she did. If he had been the one to fight against Shido, he wasn’t sure if he’d be nearly as patient. No, he’d find it much more satisfying to finish him off once and for all. Then again, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> satisfying to hear his confession versus anything else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I admire your strength, Takamaki-san,” He mused after struggling to find the words to say, “I’m sure he wasn’t the greatest to you, all things considered. Your friend and those involved with him deserved better, so it was good that the Phantom Thieves stepped in.” Ann tilted her head whilst looking at Goro before sighing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loosen up, won’t you? It’s weird when you call me Takamaki-san- you’re older, aren’t you?” she laughed lightly, “You can call me Ann, Akechi-san.” Goro just glanced back down at his hands, fidgeting lightly. First name basis. They hadn’t talked much before, and this was one of the few conversations they had shared where it was just them. It wasn’t awful, albeit the circumstances could have been better.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goro opened his mouth to answer before falling short at the chime of a phone. The blonde glanced down, pulling hers out to glance at the caller before gasping. She answered without Goro could even peek over to see who it was, blinking in surprise as she moved to her feet. “Hello! Akira?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll never guess what happened!” She cheered, looking over at Goro with excitement but her expression dropped as soon as her gaze fell upon him. Why was she looking at him like that? Was there something on his face? He reached up to touch at his skin, but he couldn’t feel anything. He barely felt his fingers and her voice was growing farther as she continued to talk. Her mouth was just moving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akira was right there. He could confirm his existence and get it all over with. Since Ann mentioned him last, it was nothing but guilt bubbling inside of him. He could make it all go away and then the ex-leader of the Phantom Thieves could finally move on with his life. It could all end here and he wouldn’t be settled with this unsettled feeling. So why? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why did he just stand there in horror at the mere thought of hearing him again? He was just quiet. He tore his gaze away from Ann, looking down at his lap. He took a deep breath. He felt like he hadn’t been breathing for the past ten minutes. He couldn’t stay here any longer. He had to leave. He had to say goodbye to the facility center. It was a mistake to come back and assume that no one would manage to find him. It was foolish of him to be so </span>
  <span>naïve. He needed to leave-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Akechi.” Her voice cut through his thoughts as Goro blinked awake. He glanced back at her and she held her phone close to her chest, hand gripping her wrist as if she was so scared of letting herself go. Why did she look so afraid? Had he done something that not even he was aware of? Did Akira say something that managed to startle her so bad? “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The attention was back onto him, though he supposed it never shifted. His gaze moved to the floor again, unable to come up with an answer before Ann sighed once more, sitting down next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe not,” she mused, “But hopefully you’ll be okay soon. What you need to do Goro is to take some time for yourself and make some friends. Then maybe, you’ll surely be okay!” Goro could only imagine her smile, but he didn’t want to see her beaming at </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He didn’t deserve it. She was just being obnoxiously kind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I need to leave,” Goro finally managed, his voice shaking. It was pathetic. He pushed himself to his feet, but Ann caught him before he could leave. Hand on his shoulder, she just tilted her head at him, smiling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see you around then, Akechi-san,” she nodded, “And Ryuji will too.” The blonde teasingly stuck her tongue out at him. “He’ll come and visit you, since you work at the rehabilitation center right? Well, it’s one step to being okay! After all, you want to see Akira again, right?” Goro didn’t answer. “Regardless, I think seeing Ryuji will help a lot. Maybe he can help manage your next meeting too. We all miss you, so I think hanging out will be good for everyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was quiet again. He was so talkative at first, but now he could barely stutter out even a measly answer. She was just waiting for him though. She never took her eyes off him. “Thanks…” Goro finally muttered, pushing her hand off of him and turning around. He walked towards the door, putting on his shoes and picking up his coat before opening the door to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How naïve I am…” he mused to himself as he left her apartment and closed the door behind him, “I’m actually kind of excited. She never gave a date though, so I shouldn’t get my hopes up now. I guess it’s time to go home first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goro could only imagine how exhausted he would end up, but maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. No, it wasn't a bad thing at all. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The slow, but happening beginning of my new Persona 5 series where Akechi learns about the Phantom Thieves after Maruki's palace! Next will be Ryuji, whenever I manage to get that out...</p></blockquote></div></div>
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